CH 31

Battle Royale

The second trial is, frankly speaking, a battle royale

Fight against the fellow challengers to lower the number

For the organizer nearby, it doesn’t take any time. It’s like throwing their responsibility in a sense

「So how many people you are planning to narrow down?」

「Until 10. The selection will end with that」

The feeling of throwing responsibility kept increasing

Do they want to reduce the number of people to 10 with this……。

The first trial has reduced the number quite a lot, from 300……。

「……How many people left?」

「it’s 65」

Oh, thank you

……who?

Well whatever

Anyway, they intend to reduce that 65 people to only 10 in one go

With that, combined with the already appointed Grey Ryuga and Wartaiga, the 『The Imperial Guardian’s Twelve Apostles』 would be completed

「Fight to your heart’s content」

Said the emperor

「You who have survived the onslaught of the atrocious demon beasts should be the strong warriors. It is meaningless to measure your ability by comparing with other sources. Decide the strongest among yourselves」

Grey Ryuga took over and raised his voice

The empire’s strongest man

「Fight! Kill the ones on your left and right! The owners of the brutal hearts that devour even yesterday’s friends are worthy of the Twelve Apostles!」

The emperor is calm, yet deep

The empire’s strongest is sharp and extreme

The two-staged tones caused a strong impact on the people below

「The drop out criteria is unchanged! Death, unable to move, or leaving the plaza of the selection meeting! Fighting method is whatever you pleased! Single battle or group battle or whatever is fine!」

“the freedom part keeps increasing huh?”, I thought

But there is one terrible point that was lost during the explanation

The life and death of the challengers in the second trial don’t matter

Letting the strong people who have survived until now die in vain, this is the true nature of the evil empire

And thus, the brawling began

The moment everyone’s glare matched their neighbor’s, their body moved

Or, suddenly there was a slashing sound from behind

Various things happened at once, but everyone’s eagerness can be felt

Everything is to become one of the Twelve Apostles

「Onii-chan……」

My sister Selen talked

Her tone was very sad

「Is it impossible not to fight against Onii-chan?」

「Selen……」

Me and my sister, right now we are challenger selected by the emperor

Fellow rivals

According to the subject of the second trial, we must kill each other even if we are close friends or blood relatives

「Don’t worry, it will not happen」

「Onii-chan!」

「You and me, if there is a situation where only one of us can survive, I will gladly die. If it’s for my sister then I’m satisfied with sacrificing this life」

「Onii-chan! I don’t like that!」

My sister jumps and embraces me

From our surrounding, dangerous yells like 『Dieeeee!』 or 『I will take your life!』 can be heard.

「……Well, we should start killing the bunch nearby first」

「Right」

The passing quota is 10。

I and Selen desire to pass together, so it’s pointless to be pessimistic from now on

「Then Onii-chan, I will fight over there, okay?」

「Then shall I go over there?」

Then I walk to the opposite direction

For two people to survive together, it’s better to fight in different places

However, I didn’t notice during the skit with Selen, but I realized after it ended

「Somehow, the fighting look strange……?」

We received the order for a rule-less, battle royale-ish from the emperor, when the fighting happened, it didn’t seem as fierce as I thought

「The factions are made……？」

The force is cleanly divided into 2, and those two groups fight against each other

This is not a brawl, but a battle?

「Why did this happen?」

「Oi Jira! Stop doing nothing but watching, and fight!」

A buddy of mine, the big man Gashi shouted

It’s a loud voice filled with urgency

「The enemy is strong! We will be defeated if we don’t unite! Together!」

「Those guys, they intend to wipe us out by attacking with magic in waves! Please help us!?」

The tall man Rei and the small man Seki raised their crying-like voice

I figured out the situation after seeing. It’s the situation where a large number of people linked together to create a faction and one-sidedly attacked this place

It’s a cooperated group vs the others

There is a sense of bipolarization

Me and Gashi, Seki, Rei seems to be in this new 『the others』 group

「So……, what is that cooperated group?」

「The elite guards! Those elite guards under the emperor’s control!」

「Hmm」

I understand after hearing Seki’s explanation

In Behemoth empire, directly under the emperor is  『The Imperial Guardian’s Twelve Apostles』, making a firm system

Currently, when the Twelve Apostles are not formed, the elite guards are directly under the emperor

Their position is the elite force among the elites

By the way, in the 『Beast Fantasy 4』 game, when you enter the last dungeon – the emperor’s castle, the small fry mobs you encounter are those elite guards

「They also participated in the Twelve Apostles’ selection meeting?」

「Of course they are! Currently, the empire’s strongest are those guys from the monarch’s guard troop! They said things like 『We should be selected as the Twelve Aposltes』!!」

Is that so?

「That’s correct」

It seems so

One of the guy from the attacking monarch’s guard troop heard our conversation and jumped in

「We of the elite guards are the empire’s strongest up to now. There is no objection to his Majesty the emperor’s will to establish a stronger force above us」

「However, the members of that super strong force should be chosen among our elite guards. That will be more efficient」

「Nevertheless, His Majesty the Emperor has given the chance to the unnecessary people. The number of participant for today’s selection meeting is too vast, even you green horns who have just graduated from the training camp are allowed to enter」

It’s about us

「His Majesty the Emperor’s vast heart is admirable, but it was pointless」

「The Twelve Apostles should be chosen among our elite guards!」

「Therefore, before the genuine selection, we must clean up the trash」

Clean up the trash……!?

「We prioritize the ones not from the elite guards first. When all the weaklings are removed and only the genuine strong ones remain, the ones who should be the Twelve Apostles will be chosen」

「In other words, you guys are unasked for. You weaklings who were allowed thanks to the fortune of receiving the mercy of His Highness the emperor」

「This is not a place you small fries can come! Just think of the right to challenge given to you as your lifetime honor and leave with satisfaction!」

「It’s already decided for a long time that who should become the Twelve Apostles should be among the elite guards who are the genuine strongest!」

I see

The elite guards who are composed of the best elites and are directly under the emperor have their appropriate pride

For them, the very fact that there are people other than them in the selection quota means they weren’t trusted, so they are displeased

Especially if it’s the outsiders they normally looked down on

「How many guys are from the elite guards?」

「From what I heard it’s about 50! And actually the number right before our eyes is about the same! Hieeeee!?」

The professional spirit of an information dealer can be feel from Seki, who honesty answers despite screaming

Even during the talk, the guys from the elite guards are still trying to remove the outsiders by magic attack or direct attack

However……。

Among 65 remaining people, about 50 are elite guards

Isn’t the number too overwhelming?

「Of course, us elite guards passed the first trial without losing anyone. It’s the difference between our abilities. You small fries should realize it and accept your defeat gracefully!」

Simple calculation: 50 vs 15……。

Being directly under the emperor, the elite guards who were buffed by the appropriate amount of Beast Aura should have the appropriate fighting power

We who are in disadvantage in every aspect are to fall by being opposed by the majority?